Nancy Jones (missionary) facts for kids

Nancy "Nannie" Jones (born January 8, 1860 – died July 1939) was an amazing African-American woman. She was a dedicated schoolteacher and a brave missionary who traveled to faraway lands like Mozambique and Southern Rhodesia (which is now Zimbabwe).

Early Life and Education

Nancy Jones was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. When she was a child, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. There, she went to the Lemoyne Institute. She loved learning and continued her studies at Fisk University, a famous university, graduating in 1886. While she was a student there, she also worked as a student teacher in Alpika, Mississippi, helping younger students learn.

Nancy was a member of the First Colored Baptist Church in Memphis. She felt a strong calling to help others, especially children, and decided she wanted to become a missionary.

A Missionary in Africa

In 1888, Nancy applied to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. This was a group connected to the Congregationalist churches that sent people to help communities around the world. Nancy was accepted and sent to Mozambique, a country in southeastern Africa. This was a big step because she was the first unmarried black woman to be sent by this organization!

Teaching in Mozambique

Nancy went to a place called Kambini, in the Inhambane region of Mozambique. She worked alongside two other black missionaries, Benjamin and Henrietta Bailey Ousley. Nancy started as a teacher for the younger students at the village school. She was so good at her job that she soon took charge of the entire primary school. She also traveled to nearby areas and even opened new schools for children from other villages, making sure more kids could get an education.

Challenges in Southern Rhodesia

In 1893, Nancy moved to the Gaza mission in Southern Rhodesia. Again, she started as a teacher in the local school. However, things became difficult for her there. She faced unfair treatment from some of her fellow missionaries. They removed her from her teaching role and gave her less important duties. They also refused to share housing with her. Because of this unfair treatment, Nancy decided to leave the mission in 1897.

Return to Teaching in America

After leaving Africa, Nancy Jones returned to Memphis, Tennessee. She continued her important work as a teacher. An African girl named Mary Jones, born in 1883, came back with her. It's not known if Mary was Nancy's adopted daughter or just a young person she cared for.

Nancy taught in DeSoto County, Mississippi for a while. Later, she moved to Tunica County in the same state. There, with the help of a man named David Reid, she achieved something truly special. In 1920, they established the Colored Normal, Industrial and Mechanical School of Tunica near Prichard. This school helped many young people get an education and learn important skills.

Nancy Jones lived in Mississippi until she passed away in July 1939. She was buried at Belmont Baptist Church near Prichard, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to education and helping others.